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EDIT: BUS AND TRAIN INFO HAS CHANGED SOMEWHAT OVER TIME. THIS ADVICE AND GENERAL NUMBERS ARE STILL THE SAME, BUT COULD BE DIFFERENT (as this was written way too long ago)

For at least your freshman year, if not longer, you will live in the beautiful little city of Songdo. Songdo is great. It has restaurants, shops, good public transport, DFK, Underwood Library, and anything else you may need on a daily basis. You know what it doesn’t have? The rest of Yonsei. 

Major or school events will often happen in Sinchon. Anything historic will happen in Sinchon. Any festival will have its main activities in Sinchon. Your sunbaes will be in Sinchon. Even clubs that hold some meetings in Songdo will often hold large full-club meetings or dinners in Sinchon. Oh, and you want to go out on the weekends with friends in Seoul? The first and easiest choices are Sinchon or Hongdae for most Yonsei students. (Hongdae is also just one subway stop/walkable from Sinchon and Yonsei)

This trip could take only an hour in very low traffic, as seen by the Kakao/Daum maps estimate. (Note that I map to the sports building because 1) that’s where I’m usually going when I commute and 2) it’s about in the middle) This is a lie unless you have a car and are driving at a pretty calm time. Which you won’t ever. Traffic is the worst enemy.

I must preface this with the fact that I did one of these trips at least 2 times a week (except exam weeks) because I was in a club. (Yes there were Songdo practices, but the timing, skill level, and age/grade level were all better in Sinchon). I don’t exactly have a fav way, just some ways that I know are better at certain times or for certain things. Okay, that’s a lie. I do have a fav way. So, here are the best possible ways to get to Sinchon/Songdo and when to use them in no particular order.

1.      Free Yonsei Shuttle Bus

This bus comes and goes pretty often during the weekdays for most of the day. It is also free! BUT you “must” reserve a space on the bus through the online portal system. I say “must” because, if the bus isn’t crowded or it is an unpopular time, you can theoretically just line up and get on in after the people who have reserved seats. For popular times you can’t really do this. Also, if you do sign up, which you really should, you need to be very, very quick about signing up since some popular spots can go in about 20 min or less. Also, if you’re coming from class or a meeting or want to get coffee after a club practice and something causes you to miss the bus then there’s nothing you can do. Also, if it’s rush hour then this will slow down the bus. Overall, this is positive if you know your schedule in advance and are willing to go through hassles.

Pros: Quick (just running between campuses), Free

Cons: Reserve seating, limited spots, limited times, no weekends/late nights, rigid schedule

When to Ride: When you know your schedule in advance or are not coming/going at a busy time

Better Commute to Songdo or Sinchon: Better To Sinchon/Neutral

2.      UIC Only Shuttle

This one sounds better, right? UIC only, so less competition and easier? No. First, this bus must be reserved as well through a Google doc up to a week before in some cases. It’s not as competitive, but not all that much easier and more flexible. You also have to pay for it (with a kinda confusing system) and it runs only a few times a day. Same warning about rush hour. Granted, this system is still very young, so it will probably grow as time goes by and get a lot better if it continues well. 

Pros: Less competitive, Quick

Cons: Rigid and sparse schedule, reserve seating, very limited times, confusing, no weekends/late nights

When to Ride: Ehhhh……When you have a club or meeting at the exact right time for this or are using it to go to a UIC class in Songdo.

Better Commute to Songdo or Sinchon: Neutral (dependent on time of day)

3.      M-Bus

Oh, the dear M6724 bus. This used to be the best thing around. Before my time, the school gave out free bus vouchers to Songdo students. When I started a year ago, the route basically ran in a loop with the Songdo Yonsei campus and the front of the Sinchon Yonsei campus as its end points. It still stops both places, but it now goes as far as Seoul station in one direction and goes around the whole of Songdo at the end. Of the public transport options, this is the easiest since there are no transfers. It can also be the longest with almost 2 hours if not more during rush hour going into Seoul and twice the price of the subway. It is still great though if you give yourself enough time to take it (For 6:30 meetings on Thursdays I always try to leave at 4:30 at the latest, usually earlier. If I’m early I just get a snack. 2 hours+ is a good estimate for public transport including walking at a slow pace.) Still, if you get in line at a good place then you don’t have to worry about getting a seat in advance and your timing can be more adjustable.

Pros: Easy public transport, no reserved seating, good if you have small baggage, longer hours (than Yonsei buses), runs holidays/weekends, also picks up/drops off at other locations (like Hongdae)

Cons: Slowest method, fills up fast (especially in the evening), comes only every 15-20 min (if you’re on a time crunch)

When to Ride: When you 1) are carrying things, 2) are going to/from Hongdae in your club clothes, 3) a little bit drunk (not enough to puke, but enough that you just wanna sit and not have to pay attention), 4) didn’t get on the Yonsei shuttle and prefer the bus.

Better Commute to Songdo or Sinchon: Better to Songdo (esp. if you’re tired and going home)

4.      Subway (Not using Airport line)

The subway is probably my favorite thing about living in Korea. In my city we have two lines that just kind of make a + shape. Sad. (Busses would compete with that if I didn’t get queasy in buses.) To get to Sinchon from the Songdo Campus, you take three different lines either way you go. Using the non-airport method, you go on Incheon line 1 from Campus Town Station to Bupyeong Station, take Line 1 (Blue line) to Sindorim, and then take Line 2 (Green line, inner circle line) to Sinchon. If you take the express train on the blue line when going into Seoul, it can take as little at 1 hour and 11 minutes (not including walking). If you take the non-express train then it will take a little longer. This is the cheapest (tied with other subway route) public transport and the fastest. It is also my favorite of all. Personally, I don’t mind transfers and I don’t ever feel sick on the subway (in case motion sickness is a thing for any of you) so I love it. If it’s raining/you don’t wanna walk, buses run from the Songdo dorms to Campus Town Station and from Sinchon Station to all of the Yonsei gates. I usually leave enough time, when I use this method, to take the non-express train if need be. (If I see that I’m running early when in Bupyeong, then I get a snack there before practice. The people at Issac toast there know me too well…)

Pros: Cheap, fast, no reserved seating, chill

Cons: Must transfer 2 times, will have to stand more, no express train to Songdo (only express to Sinchon)

When to Ride: Going to Sinchon (or anywhere on Green line), you aren’t taking too much stuff, you don’t mind standing or transferring

Better Commute to Songdo or Sinchon: To Sinchon

5.      Subway (Using airport line)

Why would you use the airport line, you ask? Because it’s actually faster in some situations and runs slightly later. This route also has two transfers, but it only really feels like 1 because the first train ride is only 1 stop away. To take this in the Songdo direction, you take Line 2 (inner circle, Green line) from Sinchon to Hongik Uni (Hongdae, only 1 stop), then Hongik to Gyeyang on the Airport line, and finally Gyeyang to Campus Town on Incheon line 1. Since Gyeyang is the beginning of Incheon line 1, the trip to Campus Town is pretty long. Overall, this method is good if you want to sit down for a longer period or are a little drunk. It’s also better if you have more stuff to carry as the Airport line has a lot of room for luggage. It’s also less crowded at night than line 1 or 2.

Pros: Cheap, fairly quick, room for stuff, long periods of rest, only 1 transfer if coming from Hongdae, almost 100% guaranteed a seat on Incheon line 1

Cons: Transfers, slower than express train if going to Sinchon, having to go through Hongik station at night

When to Ride: Coming home from Sinchon later, but not too late ( the last train around 11:20pm, but aim for 11 just in case), when you’re kinda drunk but not throw-up drunk, if you have lots of stuff

Better Commute to Songdo or Sinchon: Better to Songdo

 When in doubt, leave yourself 2 hours total for the subway, 1.5 hours for Yonsei busses (in non-rush hour and if you have a seat), and 2.25-2.5 hours for Mbus when there’s some traffic. This should include walking times if you are going/coming from the middle of Yonsei campus and walk at a good pace.

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